A clinical trial of the Buteyko Breathing Technique in asthma as taught bya video

The Buteyko Breathing Technique (BBT) is promoted as a drug-free asthma the rapy. It is based on the premise that raising blood PaCO2 through hypoventi lation can treat asthma. Our study was designed to examine whether the Bute yko Breathing Technique, as taught by a video, is an efficacious asthma the rapy. Thirty-six adult subjects with mild to moderate asthma were randomize d to receive either a BET or placebo video to watch at home twice per day f or 4 weeks. Asthma-related quality of life, peak expiratory flow (PEF), sym ptoms, and asthma medication intake were assessed both before and after int ervention. Our results demonstrated a significant improvement in quality of life among those assigned to the BET compared with placebo (p 0.043), as w ell as a significant reduction in inhaled bronchodilator intake (p = 0.008) . We conelude that the BET may be effective in improving the quality of lif e and reducing the intake of inhaled reliever medication in patients With a sthma. These results warrant further investigation.